Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40143313›Full record

ArticleViruses2025

Open Source Repurposing Reveals Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Activity of Diphenylureas.

Ulrich A K Betz, Robert Garces, Norbert Beier, Sven Lindemann, Karen C Wolff, Laura Riva, Melanie G Kirkpatrick, Amal Gebara-Lamb, Case W McNamara, Robert Damoiseaux and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Viruses, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Sumac Polyphenols as Pan-Herpesvirus Inhibitors.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Ulrich A K BetzMerck KGaA, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2355-7974
Robert GarcesEMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, USA.
Norbert BeierMerck KGaA, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8292-5928
Sven LindemannMerck Healthcare KGaA, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
Karen C WolffCalibr, The Scripps Research Institute, 11119 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Laura RivaCalibr, The Scripps Research Institute, 11119 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Melanie G KirkpatrickCalibr, The Scripps Research Institute, 11119 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Amal Gebara-LambCalibr, The Scripps Research Institute, 11119 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Case W McNamaraCalibr, The Scripps Research Institute, 11119 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Robert DamoiseauxDepartment of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7611-7534
Brigitte N GompertsDepartment of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Vaithilingaraja ArumugaswamiDepartment of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Mårten StrandUmeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
Yongdae GwonUmeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-0703-4188
Mikael ElofssonUmeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-3219-4669
Magnus EvanderUmeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-6034-4807

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The pandemic threat from newly emerging viral diseases constitutes a major unsolved issue for global health. Antiviral therapy can play an important role in treating and preventing the spread of unprecedented viral infections. A repository of compounds exhibiting broad-spectrum antiviral activity against a series of different viral families would be an invaluable asset to be prepared for future pandemic threats. Utilizing an open innovation crowd-sourcing paradigm, we were able to identify a compound class of diphenylureas that exhibits in vitro antiviral activity against multiple viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), adenovirus, dengue virus, herpes, and influenza viruses. Compound 4 among the series exhibits strong activity against dengue virus, a growing global health problem with high medical need and no approved antiviral drug. The compounds are active against SARS-CoV-2 in a primary human stem cell-based mucociliary airway epithelium model and also active in vivo, as shown in a murine SARS-CoV-2 infection model. These results demonstrate the potential of the chemical class as antivirals on the one hand and the power of open innovation, crowd-sourcing, and repurposing on the other hand.

Indexed as

Antiviral AgentsDrug RepositioningAnimalsCOVID-19COVID-19 Drug TreatmentDengue VirusDisease Models, AnimalHumansMiceSARS-CoV-2Antiviral Agentsbroadband antiviral compoundspandemic preparednessrepurposing

Identifiers

PMID40143313
PMCPMC11945542

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.